Quality Group Leader

Overview

Location: Poole
Reports to: Factory Technical Manager

Purpose: To manage a small team of Quality Control Technicians. To support the business compliance with the group, customers and BRC standards and drive continuous improvement. To maintain the company’s due diligence defence.

Key Duties, Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

• Conduct food safety risk assessments.
• Validations Management.
• Design CCP, vegan cleaning, allergen cleaning and prerequisites validations following Group and customers’ standards.
• Create the schedule for validations and verifications.
• Perform validations and verifications.
• Coach / upskill and supervise members of Technical Team in performing validations and verifications.
• Review cleaning instruction cards to reflect the correct working method to ensure effective cleaning to the correct standard.
• Support HACCP Team as required.
• Sample collection as required.
• Preparation of governance packs/reports supported with relevant information.
• Conduct internal audits; quality system, fabrication, CCPs, traceability, mass balance, and GMP audits according to the company schedule.
• Conduct trend analysis for non-conformances and work with other departments to ensure corrective and preventative actions are in place addressing the root cause.
• Liaise with responsible parties for closure of non-conformances in a timely manner.
• Ensure CCPs QC are properly trained with up-to-date CCP procedures, and CCPs production documentation are completed to standard.
• Update and maintain auditing templates and procedures; provide coaching to internal auditors.
• Provide support to the Factory Technical Manager to ensure site is audit-ready every day.
• Liaise with Pest Control contractor to assure compliance.
• Manage field biologist reports, liaise with relevant staff to assure non-conformances closure in a timely manner, and site audit readiness related to pest control.
• Manage Red tractor, RSPO audits and provide training for site.
• Manage Quality Control Technicians teams responsible for Goods in checks, customer complaints and export documentation, as delegated by Factory Technical Manager.
• Provide training and on-the-job coaching.
• Provide adequate cover for site.
• Manage all HR-related tasks for the team (development plan, holidays approval, return to work form, reviews, probations, grievances etc.) with the support of HR Department, as necessary.
• Create RM internal specifications, update supplier approved list, codes list, WIP & traceability shelf-life list and other documentation used for Intake checks.
• Manage RM sampling and logging on lab portal for tests.
• Management of customer complaints investigations.
• Management of exports documentations based on traceability.
• Concessions management.
• Risk assessment and granting / rejecting concessions needed by factory.
• Trending concessions and liaising with relevant departments to lower the number of concessions.
• Perform Gap Analysis.
• Check artwork for new batches of packaging based on approved artwork to positive release them.
• Sign sample of approved packaging from first batch to be added to packaging library for further reference.
• Manage inline packaging verification system (Autocoding).
• Subject Matter Expert for CCPs.
• Troubleshooting of metal detectors, X-Rays, Autocoding and checkweighers.
• Drive factory standards to be audit ready all the time.
• Conceive different KPI reports / other reports required by the site, group, and/or customers, as delegated by Factory Technical Manager.
• Complete traceability investigations as required.
• Support the System Team with new procedure reviews and updates as delegated by Factory Technical Manager.
• Ad hoc projects/duties in line with business needs as agreed with Factory Technical Manager.
• Deputizing the Factory Technical in the event of holiday and absence, if required.
• Step down to assure quality control technician cover when needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Experience: Minimum 5 years experience in food industry. Experience with working with Quality Management System. Applied knowledge of quality assurance principles and GMP. Validations design and implementation. Traceability. Internal audit. Gap analysis. Experience of managing a small team is advantageous.
• Key Skills: Good administrative skills. Ability to consistently meet deadlines. Good analytical skills. Good people management skills. Proficient in the use of MS Office tools. Problem solving. Clear written and verbal communication with a flexible approach for appropriate bottom-up and top-down communication channels. Good time management. Positive “can do” attitude. Ability to identify and act on opportunities for improvements. Be able to engage with site colleagues at all levels to share knowledge and act as site expert. To act with integrity.
• Knowledge: Familiarity with the Food Information Regulations and retail customer portals. Food degree or relevant field qualification. HACCP level 2. Food safety level 3.